STEM Collectives: Sisters are doin’ it for themselves
Sumedha Inukollu’s desire to pursue a PhD led her to the mentorship programme of Women in STEM Research (WISR) this year. The 23-year-old from Hyderabad says the programme guided her on all fronts, including procedural aspects of applications, drafting a Statement of Purpose, shortlisting universities and cold emailing.
During the four-week-long mentor-mentee relationship, she received advice on circumventing financial barriers by suggesting alternative low-cost procedures. “My mentor, Divya Iyer, was exceedingly forthcoming in supporting me for a paper presentation at an international conference, even sharing some parts of her own works, slides and software required to do an effective presentation,” she recalls with gratitude.
“The guidance I received from my mentor, a PhD student at the University of California, was extremely helpful in getting into a certificate programme offered by Scienspur in collaboration with Harvard University,” says Inukollu, who is currently pursuing her Masters in Bioinformatics at Pondicherry University.
She also found much help in Tanmayee Narendra, a co-founder of WISR, who gave an informed insight into life in Europe, particularly work life, and on how to overcome ambiguities in research. Most importantly, Narendra dismantled many of her misconceptions and the largely rosy picture she maintained about life as a PhD candidate.
Like her, numerous women have received valuable guidance from women-centric organisations based on the notion of ‘women lifting women’. Apart from WISR, there are other collectives such as Women of Aeronautics and Astronautics (WoAA) India, 500 Women Scientists, Aspire for Her, Indian Million Women Mentors Initiative, R.Ladies, Girlscript, Vigyanshaala and CARINAS, to name a few. Some are formal organisations, while others operate informally.
Why mentorship
In 2020, only 14% of India’s 2.80 lakh scientists, engineers and technicians in research organisations were women. This estimate from the United Nations is in stark contrast to the fact that India boasts of the world’s highest proportion of women graduates in STEM fields at 43%.
The disparity reflects the ‘leaky pipeline’ phenomenon, starting before undergraduate studies and continuing into higher education and research, where fewer women choose to major in STEM fields as they progress in their education and careers. According to the Indian National Science Academy, while around 37% of PhD holders in India are women, only approximately 14% secure academic positions.
This glaring gender imbalance mirrors broader trends, such as a lack of support, limited social capital, unsafe spaces, uneven relationships and structural barriers. Thus, women’s academic journeys are more about navigating a complex landscape than showcasing their intellectual prowess. This is where mentorship programmes and support networks help.
Woman representation in STEM
The WISR was founded when two young women pursuing PhDs in engineering passionately discussed the systemic problems that women experience in research. For example, a primarily male faculty often treats women unfairly by subjecting them to unequal expectations and denying them the opportunities and support needed to progress. Women may also experience imposter syndrome, where they doubt their abilities.
“For women, role models and networks within academia or their institutions are often limited,” says Narendra. Janani Venkatasubramanian, another WISR co-founder, adds that mentorship is one way to bridge this gap.
WoAA India recognises the urgent need to empower women to excel in the realms of knowledge, experience and self-realisation. Samrudhi Inamdar, an active member of WoAA India, points out, “Girls aspiring to pursue careers in STEM or aerospace lack sufficient role models. If I encounter challenges in my career, I need accessible people I can turn to for solutions and guidance.”
While some collectives provide structured mentorship programmes, others function as solidarity networks, offering support through resource sharing and relevant events. For instance, WoAA India fosters an inclusive approach by welcoming anyone interested in aerospace and aeronautics.
“We do not have a formal application process; you are welcome to join us for your development. You can fill out a basic form with questions about your preferences, events you are interested in and which WoAA departments you wish to be part of,” Inamdar shares.
WISR has a well-structured mentorship programme designed for undergraduate students, operating virtually over a six-week period. This programme encourages mentors from various disciplines to offer diverse experiences and perspectives. The mentorship journey begins with sign-ups, followed by orientation to establish expectations and ground rules. Effective communication and feedback mechanisms ensure the programme’s success.
Despite their differences, these collectives offer numerous benefits such as access to professional networks, enabling members to forge connections and gain valuable insights. Additionally, they provide vital information on application procedures and visa processes for those wishing to study abroad. This is especially crucial for first-generation learners. Open conversations within these safe spaces enable mentees to explore career paths and interests without preconceived limitations.
“We have had numerous success stories, including access to opportunities such as scholarships, internships and research projects,” notes Narendra. The impact extends beyond academics as they have also supported women dealing with societal pressures to marry. However, these collectives acknowledge that they do not address all inequalities, including those rooted in class, caste and institutionalised barriers within the Indian context.
CARINAS (Cosmology and Astronomy Researchers of Indian Nationality And Sisters) is a global forum for women of Indian origin in astrophysics related fields across the world. “We empower early-career women researchers in India and first-generation Indian women researchers outside the country through networking, support, mentorship, knowledge sharing, and collaboration when required,” says Prakriti Pal Choudhury, along with Manami Roy and Sanskriti Das, the founding members of the platform. “It is unpaid registration. However, we did charge a minimum subscription fee like one pound for website maintenance, but that is a voluntary charge,” Choudhary adds.
Choudhury highlights that only 10-15% faculty at the postdoctoral stage are women. “We have a bottom-up approach — that is, to help sustain a steady pool of excellent candidates in academic careers,” she notes.
CARINAS uses both formally and informally structured mentorship programmes to support the 200-member forum. Their first and oldest approach has been the newsletter. “The first edition came out in October 2023, it features stories of three generations of women scientists (a mentor, her mentee who was herself a mentor for another mentee). These stories not only highlight the career based accolades of their lives, but they also talk about what were the things these women found difficult as women in science”, explains Sanskriti Das, who is working on the third edition currently.
The second formal approach is hosting science colloquium, a one-hour science talk given by a woman scientist of Indian origin. Launched in October 2023, they happen almost every month. The third approach is an unstructured and informal mentorship programme called ‘GalPal’. It pairs up mentors and mentees who can choose to have online calls with each other as per their convenience.
“The main purpose of GalPal is to provide mentees with a continuous, informal but professional support system, especially when one is not comfortable asking questions openly within the forum. The mentors are senior than mentees by at least one career stage. For example, faculties can mentor anyone while PhD students can mentor masters and bachelors students only,” explains Choudhury, who also currently participates in GalPal.
When asked how CARINAS measure the impact, Choudhury says, “It is possible to get direct feedback from mentees when it comes to unstructured activities like GalPal. It has been four months since we started it and we have received good feedback. For newsletters and science talks, we are measuring it by the number of people interacting, engaging with it.”
When asked about the troubles they faced, Choudhury, Roy and Das agreed that the response from women in the scientific community has been great. “However, we did face some systemic pain points. Managing a global forum is not easy when participants come from different time zones,” they say.
The digital realm and collaboration
These organisations primarily operate online. WoAA India, for instance, reaches out to students by hosting events that are open to all, using their website and social media platforms such as Instagram and LinkedIn for outreach. They also attract memberships by offering paper presentation support prior to international conferences via Telegram channels and WhatsApp groups.
WISR also relies on social media platforms, but struggles with accessibility. Narendra shares, “To tackle this, we leave sign-ups open for an extended period because we have realised that it takes time for word to spread.” When they started off in 2020, they received 18 mentor signups against 41 mentee signups, and they succeeded only in matching 16 mentor-mentees. The next two rounds saw an increase in mentee signups, following which there was a fall.
A large number of signups
An observable trend is the greater number of mentee sign-ups than mentors, although they reported one opposite instance. Their popularity is a feature difficult to explain, owing to the ups and down in the turnouts, contingent upon visibility on social media apps. Sometimes, social media influencers on X and Instagram share WISR’s announcements, creating a surge in registrations. In the very last round of mentorship in 2023, they matched 26 mentor-mentees, which is considerably higher from where they took off.
When it comes to events, sign-ups are generally high, often upwards of 50, possibly because of the free and easy registration process. However, attendance falls between 10 and 20. Narendra and Venkatasubramanian presume Zoom fatigue is a likely culprit for the low participation.
Collaborations are viewed as a valuable strategy for expanding resources, reach and impact. WoAA has formed a partnership with a space-focused startup, offering software training and support to students participating in events like Asteroid Hunting Competition. Venkatasubramanian says connections with Science Paradox and Cosmic Tree House have enabled WISR to expand its network. Narendra emphasises the success of workshops and video campaigns conducted in collaboration with like-minded organizations such as Gender Scan.
Not always smooth sailing
Sustaining such organisations and maintaining enthusiasm among members can be challenging, especially when led by full-time academics or PhD candidates. Inamdar shares how WoAA India encourages its members to join specialised teams aligned with their interests, such as external events, finances and more.
Expanding the network can be challenging, as specialised expertise may be lacking to cater to the diverse needs of all mentees. Aligning expectations between mentors and mentees can also be intricate, occasionally leading to relationship mismatches. The unique needs of mentees can sometimes make finding the perfect mentor a challenge. Moreover, a lack of clarity regarding mentees’ objectives can lead to suboptimal outcomes.
Another challenge is to ensure commitment and respect for each other’s time among participants. Balancing personal and professional commitments may pose difficulties for some individuals, potentially resulting in communication gaps or cancelled sessions. Mentor–mentee relationships may sometimes prove counterproductive, especially when a mentor uses dismissive or discouraging language or breaches established boundaries.
To mitigate these issues, WISR’s co-founders have established comprehensive guidelines for respectful communication. They have implemented formal review mechanisms and mid-programme checkpoints, often conducted via Zoom calls with mentors and mentees.
Mentorship cannot single-handedly tear down systemic barriers in STEM, nor does it claim to do so. However, it offers valuable long-term impacts, fostering one-on-one conversations that challenge beliefs and biases. Successful mentorship often inspires mentees to become mentors themselves, creating a positive cycle that enhances representation and gender equality.
Comprehensive guidelines